Page 36 of Crash & Burn
I drive around for about thirty minutes before I realize that I don’t even know where Sterling lives and she’s no help asleep in the passenger seat. I could call Gerald, but it’s nearing midnight and I can’t wake the old man. I should have been paying attention when we dropped her off earlier, but I was too focused on her.
I can’t drive around forever, so I may have to make a somewhat questionable decision.
I pull into the parking garage of my place and lightly tap her thigh, trying to wake her up. She turns in her seat a bit but doesn’t fully come to.
“Sterling?” I lay my hand on her shoulder. Still nothing.
I’m wracked with the sudden feeling of…protection. Like it’s my job to keep her safe, because it’s obvious no one else is stepping up to the plate.
I get out, walk around to the passenger side and open the door. “Sterling?” I call out a little louder this time, and finally, she budges. She pulls herself awake and I reach over her to help unbuckle her seat belt. My nostrils fill with her perfume, a mix of vanilla and spice. The thought of getting closer to her scent makes me unstable in all senses, but I focus on the task at hand.
“Easy now,” I offer as I help her out of the car.
“My head is pounding,” she complains.
“Yeah, you’re definitely gonna be hungover,” I warn her with a little laugh as I walk her to the elevator.
As the elevator doors glide open to the foyer of my penthouse, she’s already tugging at her clothes.
“I need to get this off of me.” She tries to yank the bottom of the dress away from her skin. “It’s too hot.”
“Just wait, Miss Cooper. I can give you clothes to change into inside.” I turn the lights on as I lead her inside. I realize how fucked up this looks. I need to tread carefully here.
“I like when you call me that. But I’d like it better if you just called me by my first name,” she demands as she throws herself on the couch.
I don’t bother to answer, knowing that she’s mildly inebriated. I head to my room and find her something to change into. Of course, my dirty mind goes straight to undressing her myself.Why can’t I keep my shit together?
“Any day now!” I hear her shout from the living room. I chuckle as I hurry to grab her a pair of my gym shorts and a T-shirt. I know the shorts will be a bit big, but they have a drawstring.
I walk back into the living room to find Sterling standing by the windows.
I’ve now seen so many different sides to the woman standing in my house, watching the same view I watch daily. I’ve seen her shy, secret-kept side. I’ve seen her get sassy and even throw a little bit of unprofessional shade. I’ve seen her laugh and smile. I’ve seen her dressed down and dressed up. I’ve seen her be flirtatious then act annoyed all in the same day.
It's not a bad thing. I like to think of it as a sense of comfortability; when one can show you who they really are without really even knowing it. She’s a breathtaking woman.
“Wow, this is really beautiful,” she exhales. I can’t help but notice her reflection through the window, the moon shining bright above. All I want to do is grab her by the hips and press her skin against the cold glass.
“Do you really live here?” Her voice drifts off as she glides over to the kitchen and runs her fingers over the marble kitchen counters, while looking over her shoulder at me.
“Yeah.” I can’t help but smile at her. She looks cute when she’s curious.
She throws her hands up in the air carelessly as she does a little twirl in my dining room. Her hair falls messily back over her shoulders when she stills. She laughs a little, then reaches to balance herself against the table.
“Oh, man. Booze and ballet do not go hand in hand.” She stifles a laugh as I approach her, and I can’t help myself from reaching out to push her hair behind her ear, just like I’ve watched her do over and over again. My hand barely touches her skin, and I gauge her reaction. It’s just like mine.
Entranced.
“Here are some clothes, Sterling.” I meet my gaze with hers as I place the clothes on the tabletop and take a few steps back. “There’s a bathroom in my bedroom, you can change in there.” I gesture over to my room. She turns around, takes the clothes, and starts toward the bathroom.
I head to the kitchen to fill a glass of water, grab a couple of ibuprofen and put them out on the counter for her. I grab a blanket and pillow from my linen closet and lay them out for myself on the couch. Sterling appears at the door frame of my room moments later, and when my eyes meet her, my whole body feels like it’s catching on fire.
She looks adorable in my oversized black T-shirt, as it falls to the middle of her thighs. My blue basketball shorts go past her knees, and she’s managed to throw her hair up into a sexy messy bun. She also must have washed off her makeup, as I gaze at her beautiful bare face. My body aches for her. Sterling, standing here in front of me, in all her natural beauty. And seeing her in my clothes, it’s more than a want or lust. No, it’s something different. And I can’t for the fucking life of me explain it or figure out why.
The sight of her makes my heart race a million miles a minute and all I can think about is pulling her in for a kiss, a hard but passionate kiss.I need to get her out of my head.
“You okay?” she asks, interrupting my daydream.
“Yeah, everything’s fine.” I try to contain my thoughts, rubbing the back of my neck. “I got you water and some medicine for that headache of yours. I’m gonna take the couch and you can take the bed.” I move over to the sectional and start laying my makeshift bedding down. She walks over to the counter and pops the pills into her mouth before chasing them with water.